Questions about Acoustic Research AR 7s

[HamBone77]

Have a pair of AR 7s that need some TLC. Planning on pairing with a Technics SA 200. Curious if anyone has a favored vendor for AR surrounds. Also, has anyone tweaked this crossover? Or, should I just maintain the stock cap values.

Basically, in regards to the crossover: What would you do and what caps would you use?

Thanks for any input.

Regards ,
HB

 

[jpdylon]

Mat electronics is a good public source for surrounds. With the AR-7s you need a high-compliance (soft and flexible) foam surround, or you'll lose your bottom end. Don't replace them with butyl surrounds either.

Stick with the stock crossover design. AR engineers were geniuses when it came to crossovers. The only thing I would change of course is capacitors. Just about any film cap will be a world of difference over the tired stocks. Solen capacitors seem to bee pretty good bang for the buck.

 

[HamBone77]

Thanks for the tips

Appriciate the input. :yes:

Regards,
HB

 

[Nat]

I refoamed a pair using the Matelectronics surrounds, and while they worked fine, the original foams were a little different in dimension, so it didn't look quite as pretty as the usual result. I didn't recap which may have been related to my lack of total enthusiasm with the result. There have been posters who laud the 7 as having a really exemplary midrange, etc. I thought they sounded rather like you would expect a small AR to sound -- neat, sober, but not anything to write home about. Different tastes...

 

[HamBone77]

Well they are for the son!

Dad has stacked Advents in his system. Can't give the kid anything close to that. Seriously, I think they'll make a fine bedroom set. Decent enough sounding but no overpowering so Mom and Dad can get to sleep at night.

Regards,
HB